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News Around Ocean Beach

by Staff on May 22, 2013 · 1 comment

in Culture, Ocean Beach

* Sacred Heart Academy About to Close Its School Doors For Good
* Council Approves San Diego River Park Master Plan – From Ocean Beach to Julian
* Point Loma High Principal Bobbie Samilson to Retire at End of School Year
* Mayor Filner, OB Merchants and Handcraft Peddlers Should See the Embarcadero As Example
* “Water workshops” at the Green Store – May 25: Rain Barrel Basics and Greywater Reuse

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Heroes and Villains: Does US Foreign Policy Understand the Difference?

by Source on May 22, 2013 · 0 comments

in American Empire, Civil Rights, History, World News

By Joseph Howard Crews / San Diego Free Press

For 60 years the most celebrated and revered African in history was listed as a terrorist threat to the people of the United States. Who decided this? Why did Americans allow this, and what does it say about what we are?

In 2008, former South African President Nelson Mandela was finally removed from the U.S. terrorism watch list. Mandela and other members of the African National Congress had been placed on the list because of their fight against South Africa’s apartheid regime — a system of legalized racial segregation enforced by the country’s National Party between 1948 and 1994.

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The IRS War on Medical Marijuana Providers

by Source on May 22, 2013 · 0 comments

in Civil Rights, Culture, Environment

By Clarence Walker / StoptheDrugWar.org

Dispensaries providing marijuana to doctor-approved patients operate in a number of states, but they are under assault by the federal government. SWAT-style raids by the DEA and finger-wagging press conferences by grim-faced federal prosecutors may garner greater attention, but the assault on medical marijuana providers extends to other branches of the government as well, and moves by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to eliminate dispensaries’ ability to take standard business deduction are another very painful arrow in the federal quiver.

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Ocean Beach Cottage Among Winners in “People in Preservation” Program

by Frank Gormlie on May 21, 2013 · 1 comment

in Culture, History, Ocean Beach, San Diego

Post image for Ocean Beach Cottage Among Winners in “People in Preservation” Program

SOHO Awards to Be Presented May 23rd at Point Loma Assembly

Every year the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) runs their “People in Preservation” program to salute individuals and groups who have helped preserve important aspects of San Diego’s heritage, building by building, site by site.

This year the program winners include an Ocean Beach cottage built in 1922 and located at 1975 Bacon Street, and owned by the Wilson family who found an infestation of cockroaches, a falling wall and rotted flooring. Here is what SOHO says about the cottage and family:

The Wilson family is being honored for their sensitive and loving restoration of a cottage in Ocean Beach. Built in 1922, the cottage is one of four, originally identical homes built in a row.

The Wilsons repeatedly turned to these sister cottages for dimensions, materials and features, inside and out, as well as historic photographs during the restoration process. They researched the original exterior paint colors (yellow and green), wooden porch seat, trellis and garden plantings, all of which are back in place.

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UC Medical Center Strike Is On – Thousands of Hospital Workers Begin 2-Day Strike

May 21, 2013 by Staff

Thousands of hospital workers at University of California medical centers up and down the state have begun a two-day strike starting today, Tuesday, May 21.

The strike definitely includes the UC Med Centers here in San Diego, at both Hillcrest and La Jolla, where more than 2,000 workers stayed home today or walked picket lines. The striking workers include vocational nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians, bus drivers and custodians.

The strike follows almost a year of failed negotiations and eight months without a contract. The last one expired in September of 2012. Strikers are are motivated by demands that the UC Medical System stop prioritizing profit over quality patient care, as today’s strike is NOT just about higher pay, as is being reported in the mass media.

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Spanking in the Name of the Lord

May 21, 2013 by Dave Rice

When Children are Maltreated by Religious Groups

By Dave Rice

Child sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church have repeatedly rocked the nation for more than a decade now, and in 2010 spread locally to reach the San Diego Diocese. The so-called “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s and early ‘90s brought the prospect of harm to children through mysterious and violent rituals to the forefront of the nation’s attention (though such focus turned out to be largely overblown), while periodically stories reach the news involving the tragic death of a child raised by a family of religious separatists. Incidents such as the aforementioned remind us that institutions of faith are capable of inspiring misplaced trust that can bring harm to the most vulnerable amongst us: our children.

These stories, however, just scratch the surface of a more widespread problem concerning the mistreatment of children in the name of religion, says Janet Heimlich, author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment.

Robert F Kennedy, Jr. On Obama and Nixon: A Historical Perspective

May 21, 2013 by Source

For once with good reason, the GOP is exorcised with the scandals involving the IRS targeting political groups and the FBI’s spying on A.P. reporters. The broader public is legitimately concerned. However, in its classic overblown breathlessness at all things Obama, the gleeful Republican leadership is already calling for impeachment and dragging out desperate comparisons to Nixon’s Watergate.

This, despite caveats from its own sages not to overplay Republican good fortune. “We overreached in 1998,” Newt Gingrich admitted recently. He counseled restraint to the Tea Party jihadists he helped spawn. Gingrich recalled how the GOP’s scandal mongering against Clinton had only amplified Clinton’s popularity and cost Republicans the 1998 mid-terms and Gingrich his speakership.

The Widder Got’s Her Dander Up! – Ralph’s New “Check-Out” Rack

May 21, 2013 by Judi Curry

Market’s New Methods Leaves The Widder In a ‘Boycott Ralph’s’ Mood

As the “mother” of this household – put the emphasis wherever you think it should be – I do all of the grocery shopping. My feet are not anchored in cement, and I shop at a variety of stores – CostCo, Barons, Stumps, Vons, Ralph’s, etc. I like various things at different stores. (I used to shop at Sprouts until they fired an employee I liked.)

My main shopping store is Ralph’s, for a variety of reasons: I use their pharmacy and all my prescriptions are on file there; the items that I purchase are lower there than at other stores; they have the variety of items that I frequently look for. I seldom buy my produce there because I think they are over-priced, under-ripe, and outdated. I shop there at least once a week; sometimes twice.

Today, when I did a relatively large shopping at Ralph’s, I noticed that the check-out area had a new configuration.An annoying one.

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The OB Frequency Film Festival Returns for Engagement Beginning May 23

May 21, 2013 by Staff

The Frequency Film Festival has returned to the Ocean Beach Playhouse and is showing “Films From Around The World” in the upcoming couple of weeks, beginning Thursday, May 23rd.

Twenty-nine narrative and documentary feature films and 43 screenings will be shown over the following dates: May 23-25, 27, 30-31 and June 1, 4-8.

Screenings are $6.17 in advance and $10 at the door. An all-access film pass is $26.87 in advance. Also featured are 3 free documentary film screenings and a horror double feature, two films for the price of one.

Changes at the Playing Fields of Dana Put On Hold by City Park and Rec

May 20, 2013 by Source

Undetermined Meeting Will Decide on Big changes Proposed for Baseball field at Dana Middle School in Point Loma

by Melanie Nickel / Special to the OB Rag

There may be major changes coming to the baseball field at Dana Middle School, but it’s not a sure thing yet. There are a lot of unanswered questions, and the changes have not yet been approved by the City.

The impetus is a proposal from David Wells, Point Loma High School class of 1982. Wells is one of Point Loma High School’s best known graduates, having pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees in 1998. Wells went to the World Series in 1992 as a relief pitcher for the victorious Toronto Blue Jays, after which he made a major donation to the athletic programs at PLHS.

The Widder Curry Re-Visits the Point Loma Democratic Club

May 20, 2013 by Judi Curry

A Brief Summary of May 19, 2013 Meeting of Peninsula Dems

It has been a long time since I attended a meeting of the Pt. Loma Democratic Club. My husband was an officer of the club, and when he passed away I decided that I no longer wanted to attend their meetings. The reason for that was many – I didn’t want to hear how much Bob was missed; I loved the President of the club – Nancy Witt – but didn’t know the other officers well and from what Bob had said I didn’t want to know many of them.

The other thing that disturbed me was that the average age of the club was – well, let’s just say “old.” There were very few young people attending meetings, and although this is an intellectually sharp group, I wanted to be with younger people with younger ideas.

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Mayor Filner to Speak at Press Conference Against Gag Order in Federal Medical Marijuana Case – Today – Monday May 20th

May 20, 2013 by Source

Press Conference with Mayor Bob Filner

Ronnie Chang is a state legal medical cannabis patient, an alleged former collective operator and victim of the 9/9/09 raids on cannabis collective in San Diego County. A widespread and brutal attack on legal cannabis patients, the raids were part of a joint effort by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis to senselessly destroy the public safety collectives provide the community.

Sex in San Diego: Marriage Is For Losers

May 17, 2013 by Source

By Dr. Kelly Flanagan / UnTangled

You can be right, or you can be married; take your pick. I can’t remember who told me that, but I do remember that they were only half-joking. The other half, the serious half, is exceedingly important. This is why.

Many therapists aren’t crazy about doing marital therapy. It’s complicated and messy, and it often feels out of control. In the worst case scenario, the therapist has front row seats to a regularly-scheduled prize fight. But I love to do marital therapy.

Point Loma Imbroglio Continues Over “Bogus” Stop Signs After Peninsula Planners’ Compromise

May 17, 2013 by Staff

Point Loma Planners’ Recommendation That “Bogus” Signs Be Replaced and Official Signs Removed Continues to Split Local Community

CBS8 reports that the Peninsula Planning Committee’s decision last night – May 16th – to find a compromise on the “bogus” stop signs continues to divide and rile the local hilltop community in Point Loma.

The Committee voted 4 to 3 to send a recommendation to Councilmember Faulconer’s office that the controversial stop signs that appeared and installed by anonymous parties, outside of city regulations, will be replaced – there’s 2 of them – and that 3 official stop signs in the area be removed.

It’s a Sad Day in America When the Navy Launches a San Diego-Built Drone off a Carrier

May 17, 2013 by Frank Gormlie

It’s a sad day in America. The US Navy launched the first carrier-based drone off its deck the other day, off the coast of Virginia. It’s an even sadder day for us in San Diego, as the drone was manufactured – in part, at least – by plants and engineers right here in our own city.

The launching of the drone off that deck demonstrates clearly that as drones become more and more integrated into becoming the armament of the nation’s military, they are becoming more and more accepted – here domestically, back in the good ol’ US of A.

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Discussion on PL Democrats Website: Is the ACLU “Subversive” Because They Oppose Cross at Mt Soledad?

May 17, 2013 by Judi Curry

The Widder Curry Weighs In

An interesting question appeared today on the Point Loma Democrats website in regards to an article announcing the 80 year celebration of the San Diego ACLU.

To say that I was nonplussed to read the question which can as a comment to the article, would be a minor revelation. At the risk of being censored – do you think that Democrats would do that to their own? – let me tell you something about it.

On June 7th, there will be a 80 year celebration of the San Diego ACLU. As the article read, this function is not a

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Health Care Reform – An Enlightening Discussion in OB Sponsored by League of Women Voters

May 17, 2013 by Judi Curry

OB Rec Center Meeting Led by Jeanne Brown

By Judi Curry

I attended a most informative meeting at the OB Rec Center on May 16 on the subject of “Health Care Reform”. The focal point was on a “Single Payer Health Care” and a Healthcare Movie was shown to the audience.

The film revealed the true story of how the health care systems in Canada and the US evolved so differently when, at one, point, they were essential the same. Statistics are overwhelming –not just in comparing the Canadian health care system to ours, but in just looking at the stats overall.

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Pharmacist Kickbacks Put California Patient Health at Risk

May 17, 2013 by Source

By Hollaine Hopkins/California Progress Report

Health care cost containment is a critical issue facing every participant in the health care system. Efforts to contain costs, however, appear to have given rise to dangerous financial arrangements between health insurers and pharmacists that may be jeopardizing the health of California patients.

Peninsula Planning Board to Decide Fate of “Illegal” Stop Signs in Point Loma

May 16, 2013 by Staff

Tonight, May 16th, the planning committee for Point Loma will have on its agenda the fate of two “illegal” stop signs that were anonymously installed up on top of the Peninsula.

The Peninsula Board meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Point Loma Library, 3701 Voltaire Street.

Congressman Tears Into Attorney General Holder Over Marijuana: ‘This Is The Time To Remedy Prohibition’

May 16, 2013 by Source

By Nicole Flatow / Think Progress / May 15, 2013

During a Wednesday – May 15 – House oversight hearing with Attorney General Eric Holder that overwhelmingly focused on the invasive government search of Associated Press phone logs and the IRS, one House member, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) , took the opportunity to grill Holder on another Department of Justice issue that has provoked criticism from the left.

Filner’s Letter Allowing Self-Made Bracelet and Necklace Sales in Ocean Beach Rankles Mainstreet Association

May 16, 2013 by Frank Gormlie

A letter from Mayor Bob Filner allowing a man on disability to sell “home-made” hemp necklaces in Ocean Beach without a permit has rankled OB’s Mainstreet Association.

Earlier this Spring, David Millette, a resident of Chula Vista, began selling his self-made / home-make hemp necklaces, watch bands and other jewelry items on the Wall at the foot of Newport Avenue. After about a week, he was told by San Diego police that his sales were illegal and chased him away.

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The IRS, Benghazi, and the Republicans Who Cried Wolf

May 16, 2013 by Source

Every week, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich talks with contributor Eric Benson about the biggest stories in politics and culture. This week: The GOP finds a new Watergate, the Justice Department bullies the AP, and Bloomberg News gets caught snooping on Bloomberg clients.

By Frank Rich / New York Magazine- RSN / May 16, 2013

RICH: Last week, conservatives called Benghazi Obama’s Watergate. Now they’re applying that label to a new scandal in which IRS officials admitted applying special scrutiny to tea-party-affiliated groups applying for tax-exempt status. President Obama has condemned the IRS’s actions. The FBI has opened an investigation. Do you see this having a major impact on the administration and its credibility?